emotional healing – Be-YOU-tiful Adaptive Warrior

Pivoting and Grief

By bawarrior | October 7, 2026

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:18 — 35.6MB)

Honoring What Was, Before Reimagining What’s Next

What if moving forward requires us to first acknowledge what we have lost?

In Part Four of my five-part series on pivoting, I’m exploring a side of change that we don’t talk about enough: grief. We often celebrate the courage it takes to pivot, rebuild, and begin again, but every new direction may also require us to release the life, body, identity, or future we once imagined.

As I approach eight years since electing to amputate my leg, I’ve been asking myself whether I ever truly grieved my limb loss. Looking back, I realize much of my grieving happened during the four months between deciding to amputate and undergoing surgery. I cried, wrestled with my fears, and tried to understand how my future might change. When I finally released it to God, I felt a peace that helped me move forward.

Every amputee’s experience is different. Some of us have time to prepare, while others wake up after an accident or medical emergency and discover that their body has changed. There is no correct way or timeline for grieving.

Grief is not limited to death. We can grieve our independence, body image, physical abilities, relationships, identity, trust, or the path we thought our lives would follow. We can also be deeply grateful for our prosthesis, medical team, family, and progress while still grieving what was lost.

Grief does not make me ungrateful, and gratitude does not require me to pretend that nothing was lost.

When grief remains unacknowledged, it can surface as anger, resentment, emotional numbness, comparison, overworking, or constantly pushing through pain. I recognize my own tendency to connect my value with productivity. Sometimes staying busy feels easier than slowing down long enough to feel what is happening inside me.

I also share five steps for moving through a life-changing pivot: name what you lost, allow yourself to feel it, honor why it mattered, release the original shape of the dream, and reimagine what remains possible.

I may not ski exactly as I once imagined, but I found another way. I learned to ski on one leg with outriggers, and that reimagined future has brought courage and joy back into my life.

This week, name one thing you have been trying to move past. What changed? What do you miss? Why did it matter? Then ask yourself: How can I carry the heart of that dream forward in a new form?

Give yourself permission to grieve without judgment—but don’t stop there. Honor what was, release the path you expected, and begin reimagining what could still be possible. Share this episode with someone facing an unexpected change, and follow the BAWarrior Podcast as we continue learning how to rebuild on the other side of the pivot.

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

Much love,

The Courage To Belong

By bawarrior | July 1, 2026

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:12 — 22.5MB)

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Feeling Alone After Amputation? Why Community Is Part of Healing

Have you ever felt completely alone—even while surrounded by people who love you?

For many amputees, loneliness isn’t about the absence of family or friends. It’s about carrying a journey that very few people truly understand. In this heartfelt episode of the BAWarrior Podcast, I share an honest conversation about isolation, fear, healing, and the courage it takes to build meaningful community.

Drawing from my own experiences and countless conversations with amputees, I explore why loneliness often becomes one of the greatest hidden challenges after limb loss. The mental load of navigating everyday life, the quiet nights when phantom pain and anxious thoughts seem the loudest, and how fear can slowly convince us that staying home feels safer than stepping back into the world are all a part of our journey.

But healing was never meant to happen in isolation.

Throughout the episode, I talk about how community becomes one of the most powerful tools in recovery. Whether it’s sharing your story, joining an amputee support group, striking up a conversation at the gym, or simply reaching out to one other person who understands your journey, every connection becomes another step toward healing. Remember that telling your story doesn’t make you weak, it helps release the weight you’ve been carrying while encouraging someone else who may feel just as alone.

This episode also explores the importance of boldness. Community doesn’t magically appear; someone has to take the first step. Whether that’s sending a text, attending a virtual support group, introducing yourself to another amputee, or simply saying hello to a neighbor, courage opens the door to belonging.

As I prepare to launch my new Faith Through the Fire series, I have been reflecting on how faith, resilience, and community often come together when we choose to move beyond fear. I want to encourage you to embrace this new chapter after amputation—not as the end of life, but as the beginning of a richer, more connected one.

If you’ve been struggling with loneliness after amputation, phantom pain, fear of falling, or simply wondering if anyone truly understands what you’re going through, this episode serves as a reminder that you are not alone. There is hope, there is healing, and there is a community waiting to welcome you.

This week, take one brave step.

Reach out to one person. Send one text. Join one support group. Attend one Zoom meeting. Introduce yourself to another amputee. Healing begins when isolation ends, and community starts with one courageous decision.

If you’re looking for connection, visit WarriorGround.org to learn more about the BAWarrior Podcast, Amped Women virtual gatherings, Warrior Circle, and other opportunities to connect with people who truly understand the amputee journey.

Connect with another amputee

Get outside, bring a friend

Surround yourself with those who want to see you succeed as much as they want to, and love you for who you are!

Remember: You don’t have to walk this journey alone.

Have a beautifully blessed week,